“The Four Eights.”

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6204, 1 May 1890, Page 3

“The Four Eights.”

Tn an article on the Tv about Demonstrations cf to day the Hawke's Bay Herald says: “ There is no especial sanctity in any particular number of hours devoted to labor. They range from sixteen to eight, according to circumstances, and at present there seems to be an almost universally-received opinion that nature somehow or other intends eight hours to be the golden number. A few years ago the numeral which expressed “just the thing ” for labourers and artisans was ten, and after a serious of gigantic strikes this was reduced to nine, and now America is making a bid for an eight hours’ day. “ Eight bob ” has also been woven into a few lines of putnphandle poety intended to prove that in Paradise, or at all events the nearest working model of it, the rule will bo Eight hours work, Eight hours play, Eight hours’ sleep, Eight bob a day. It appears to us that this quartette of sights amounts to just so muobjuonsense. If

the circumstances of a people demand that they ought to work sixteen hours a day that period ought to bo worked 5 but, if circumstances will allow of seven, six, five, or even any less number of hours being sufficient to provide the worker with a livelihood, be would be foolish indeed to labor longer.